Golf stance indicator



March 3, 1964 TRENT 3,122,846

GOLF STANCE INDICATOR Filed Jan. 23, 1965 INVENTOR.

FRANK M. TRENT BY am 5. w

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,122,846 GOLF STANCE INDICATOR *rank M. Trent, 3695 N. Abingdon St., Arlington, Va. Filed Jan. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 253,509 4 Claims. (Cl. 3529) This invention relates to an aid for improving ones I skill in playing golf and particularly relates to a device for improving the stance of a golf player.

Various devices have been developed which can be used by a golf player to improve his stance but most of these have been complicated, clumsy and difficult to use. Accordingly it is the principal object of this invention to provide a simple and practical indicator that can be utilized in determining the proper golf stance to be assumed by the golfer whether the ball is in an uphill, downhill or level position.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device or golf stance indicator which will be useful to the beginner and average golfer in learning the game of golf.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device which Will be useful to the professional golfer in instructing the average and less skilled golfer as to the correct position that the feet of the golfer should assume in relation to the position or lie of the ball.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device which is extremely simple and yet efi'ective in learning the game of golf.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a device which is inexpensive and is easily carried about a golf course so that the same may be readily referred to during the playing of the game and thereby enable the golfer to determine quickly the correct stance to be taken with respect to the direction of the proposed drive and the lie or position of the ball.

These and other objects will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of my invention, reference can be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to similar or like elements.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the stance indicator for a right handed golfer;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the indicator of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of another embodiment of the stance indicator for a left handed golfer.

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of still another embodiment of the device.

By referring to the drawing it will be seen that the golf stance indicator 1 in the modification shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 comprises a truncated pyramid having four sloping surfaces 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively, and a top surface 6, which is preferably parallel to the base of the pyramid. On each of these surfaces are indicator markings comprising arrows and facsimiles of human left foot and right foot prints for purposes which will hereinafter be explained. In order that the correct stance may be determined, the indicator 1 would first be held base down in the palm of the golfers hand. If the hell were lying in a level area, reference would be made to the top surface 6, that is, the device would be rotated until the arrow points in the direction of the pin or hole on the green and the dot within the arrow which represents the ball is in the same position or lie as the ball. The feet of the right handed golfer would then be placed in the same relative position as indicated by the facsimile footprints on surface 6 indicated as level.

In the same manner one would determine the position of ones feet with respect to any sloping lie by referring to the appropriate corresponding surface which is set forth on the stance indicator. It will thus be apparent that for any given sloping lie or position of the ball whether uphill, sidehill or downhill, one merely positions the indicator 1 in the proper perspective in the palm of the golfers hand so that the arrow points in the direction of the hole, the dot within the arrow corresponds to the position of the ball, and the feet are in the relationship shown on the particular slanting surface of the truncated pyramid or indicator 1.

The embodiment shown in FIGURE 3 is not only similar to the device shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 but is employed in the same manner except this embodiment is for left handed golfers.

FIGURE 4 illustrates a further modification applicable to the embodiments shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 3 wherein there is provided in the base 7 of the indicator of either FIGURES 1 and 2 or FIGURE 3 a chamber 8 having a slidable cover 9. This chamber is particularly useful for the storage and retention of markers which are commonly employed on the putting green to note the position of a ball which lies in the line of roll to the hole of another ball. These markers which are frequently circular in shape are made of light metal, plastic on even paper. Although a slidable cover 9 is shown, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that other types of covers can be employed such as circular cover having (1) a spring hinge or (2) a projecting tab with a shaft about which the cover pivots from a closed to an open position.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the novel stance indicator of the present invention can be made of various materials. A particularly useful material which has proved most satisfactory is a transparent plastic such as any of the well known methacrylate resins. Where weight is not a factor, glass, plaster of Paris, light metals such as aluminum or magnesium, and wood can be employed. Of course where darker materials are used, such as stained woods, the indicia on the various sloping surfaces will for practical purposes be painted in a contrasting color such as white or yellow. Other modifications will also be evident to those familiar with the art including the use of a base for the indicators 1 and 11. In addition the sloping surfaces and the overall size of the indicator can be varied within certain practical limits. Although the base of the device 1 is indicated as square slight departures from these configuration can be made, if desired.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that there has been devised a golf stance indicator which is unusually simple in construction but which will prove highly effective in teaching a golfer the proper stance to assume regardless of the lie or position of the ball and that the indicator will prove most helpful in lowering the score of a golfer.

While the above description discloses practical embodiments of my invention it Will be understood by those skilled in the art that the specific details of construction and shape are by way of example and not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A device to indicate. a golfers proper stance for playing any golf shot for any given level or sloping lie of a golf ball comprising a truncated pyramid having an upper surface which simulates a level golf lie, at base, and a plurality of sloping surfaces which simulate the various downhill, sidehill, and uphill positions in which a golf ball may lie and which connect such upper surface and base, a first marking on each of said upper and sloping surfaces to simulate the position of the ball, a second marking on each of said upper and sloping surfaces adapted to be pointed in the direction of the golf hole, and facsimiles of human footprints on each of said up- 3 v 4 per and sloping surfaces to simulate the proper position 4. The device of claim 1 in which a chamber is proof the golfers feet relative to said first marikng for each vided within the device and which opens out on the base of the aforementioned level, downhill, sidehill and uphill of said device, and cover means for said chamber.

positions when said second marking is pointed in the dire'cfign 0f the golf ho1e References 6H8! ill thB file Of this patent 2. The device of claim 1 in Which'the upper surface is FOREIGN PATENTS parallel to the base.

3. The device of claim 2 in which the base is substan- 713,071 Great Britain Aug. 5, 1954 tially a square. 1 

1. A DEVICE TO INDICATE A GOLFER''S PROPER STANCE FOR PLAYING ANY GOLF SHOT FOR ANY GIVEN LEVEL OR SLOPING LIE OF A GOLF BALL COMPRISING A TRUNCATED PYRAMID HAVING AN UPPER SURFACE WHICH SIMULATES A LEVEL GOLF LIE, A BASE, AND A PLURALITY OF SLOPING SURFACES WHICH SIMULATE THE VARIOUS DOWNHILL, SIDEHILL, AND UPHILL POSITIONS IN WHICH A GOLF BALL MAY LIE AND WHICH CONNECT SUCH UPPER SURFACE AND BASE, A FIRST MARKING ON EACH OF SAID UPPER AND SLOPING SURFACES TO SIMULATE THE POSITION OF THE BALL, A SECOND MARKING ON EACH OF SAID UPPER AND SLOPING SURFACES ADAPTED TO BE POINTED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE GOLF HOLE, AND FACSIMILES OF HUMAN FOOTPRINTS ON EACH OF SAID UPPER AND SLOPING SURFACES TO SIMULATE THE PROPER POSITION OF THE GOLFER''S FEET RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST MARIKING FOR EACH OF THE AFOREMENTIONED LEVEL, DOWNHILL, SIDEHILL AND UPHILL POSITIONS WHEN SAID SECOND MARKING IS POINTED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE GOLF HOLE. 